On the subject of beer....If you want something dark but not as dark as Guiness, you should look to the "best" bitters. These are a premium bitter on the ordinary brand - are usually stronger and stronger flavoured. They cost a bit more too.

And if you want sweetness and frutiness there's always cider (which in the UK is always alcoholic - often very alcoholic).

"In reality they're thinking what a
d!ckhead, he's got more money then sense."

I bet they don't refuse the money, do they?

To be honest, darkness in a beer is often more to do with the amount of caramel clouring added than with the flavour.

Aren't you travelling up the M6?

In which case, lots of Lancashire pubs (though not the flash, adolescent-oriented, city centre ones) still serve mild. Not just real ale places, either: practically anywhere where they're still catering to local tastes. Fuller, smoother, flavour than bitter and rarely sold at particularly high strengths. Usually pretty much the cheapest draught beer as well.

In Scotland, heavy shares with mild a very low level of hops.

Oooh, Begian fruit-flavored beers! I love those. Might I find them in England? Can someone explain what bitters are?

And in terms of the "dickhead" remark, I am amazed at such cynicism. It must be part of the same mindset that responds so negatively to American friendliness. Sad, really. Knowing the prevalence of this attitude, I will be stingier in England than I had planned and save my generosity for American wait staff.

Thats the spirit Guy...lol


:-)

Muck

Guy,

Since your visiting Yorkshire the home of the tight fisted Yorkshireman (Myself included) keep your money firmly in your pocket!!

A tip should be given if you think the service and meal are worth it - not just beacuse it's the 'done thing'.

PS - Ignore the weather report it will rain, rain and rain again it always does but I love it, cos its home.

<<I will be stingier in England than I had planned and save my generosity for American wait staff.>>

Now you're getting the idea!

Also when CS mentions Mild, Heavy beer it can also be called Scotch e.g Newcastle Best Scotch, certainly in the North East of England and possibly the Lake District.

I'll probably get flamed for this but one of my favourites is Caffrey's, which a rusty brown colour with a creamy head

Geordie

Well, at least you British are up front about it. Thanks for the heads up! :)

Geordie:

Consider yourself flamed. Caffrey's has all the authenticity of an American being friendly.

"Knowing the prevalence of this attitude, I will be stingier in England than I had planned and save my generosity for American wait staff."

Guy, please don't write us off as a nation based on one person's comment on a web forum!

Re: Bitter. Bitter is a common type of ale, often served on tap. It's usually slightly fizzy (but nothing like lager is), is mid-brown in colour and is served at cellar temperature. Don't believe the reports that we drink warm beer - cellar temperature is cool, it just isn't refrigerated.

Bitter is beer, as Kate describes.

Bitters is Angostura bitters, only a couple of drops of which are needed to colour and flavour a pink gin.

Most bar staff should be able to know you're more likely to mean beer, but it helps to know the difference!

Re bitters: Bitters can actually be orange bitters which is a far more specialist product than angostura.

No wonder CS finds American friendliness lacking in authenticity. If he displays in person the same arrogance and contempt for Americans that he so often shows here, fake friendliness is the best he could hope for (and more than he deserves)!

there is no need to tip people it is totaly up mto you if you recieve good service you might well tip 10% of the bill

Getting back to the original subject, I have a 'bar tipping' update!

I went back 'home' at the weekend (The Midlands). I've clearly lived in London too long, as tipping the barstaff is still alive and well in the Birmingham area. I had a discussion about it with my family, who were all horrified that we never tip barstaff in London (even my 21 year old nephew was surprised).

And sure enough, when I went back to my old haunt from my youth, I noticed that many people at the bar were not only offering drinks to the barstaff but were, shock horror, actually just handing them cash! (About £1 seemed the norm).

Just goes to prove that London is, indeed, a foreign land to the rest of England, as my rellies are always telling me.

It's worth noting, that in London there is an increasing tendency in some restaurants to automatically include 12.5% service charge on your bill, and then when you come to pay by credit or debit card, there is also a further option to add another gratuity.

Obviously, if you feel the service has been worth it, then do tip twice, but don't assume that just because they've left space on the bill for it, that it hasn't already been added!

Enjoy your trip to the UK.

Kate, it's funny you bring this up, because we recently happened to catch a few older(1940s) British movies and in pub scenes set in the countryside, the (always) gallant hero DID tip at the pub.

Yes BT, and indeed I knew that my father still tipped in pubs, but I'd put that down to his gallant 1940s manners. Seems I was wrong! Or perhaps Brummies are just more polite/generous than southerners.

I had to laugh about the pint versus glass. I was in Scotland a few years back and was bought a drink by a guy who said he could not buy me a pint when I took up his offer....Women he said dont drink pints but he would buy me two glasses. I told him if he did that I would just pour both in my pint glass! I was surprised as in Dublin women and men drink pints and back then it was cheaper to get a pint than two glasses and we were not exactly rolling in the money in the early 90s. He did eventually buy the pint though. I never came across that before and now I may have a pint but mostly glasses after as its too filling.

Pint of Scotch Whiskey is hell of a lot of booze Siobhan, you sure you should have taken so much?
lol
Muck